The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-04-16
ROMANCE OF THE ROAD.
How Tiny Comedian Unexpectedtv
Joined u Travelling Company.
From the New York Sun

How Tiny Comedian Unexpectedtx
Joined "a Travelling Company.
From the New York sun
1t was small company. The treas
urer, who was aiso the leading iuve.
nile in the drama owed himself last
weeks salary. 1t must remain a sad
debt, too, for, with the comedian.
who doubled in brass and was ALWAYS
week ahead OF the treasurer in sal
airy, there was no possible hope of
immediate negotiation. The leading
man was the manager, and at the
same time he WAS fortunately married
to the Eoubrette star OF the company.
They were ali in the south, making
one-night stands, the misery of which
no man can be Judge before he shall
have endured it. All night long the
train had been speeding. Force OF cir
cumstances had placed sleepers out OF
the question. Probably they would
make Augusta, Ga, in the morning.
and that was all they wanted, for
there they were to have three whole
nights. and then there was a chance
that the treasurer would pay himself
off.
In the rear OF the car the tour or
five females of the troupe talked in
low tones. The youngest of them was
vlslbly embarrassed, and now and
then glanced confusedly at the men,
four OF whom played poker on a lap,
board ana wagered chiefly by word
OF mouth, gravely booking each turn
OF fortune as with the air that "all
will be settled anon" Only the lead
ing man seemed unhappy, and he
fingered near the group of women.
Cards seemed to have no fascination
for him that night. The soubrette
star was the center of the party of
females, and her face was that OF a
woman In pain. After a time she
whispered to the girl nearest her, and
then to the leading man.
The game went on. The comedian
was a months salary ahead of the
treasury. A half-suppressed moan
came from the other end of the car.
The players would have turned, but
the leading man was facing them, q
flush on his face and moist look in
his eyes.
otis the little girl, boys" he said,
quietly enough; ''somethings gone
wrong"
The comedian put away the cards.
Somebody suggested smoke. They
had all smoked less than an hour pre-
vious, but they all went ahead into
the next car, and there they talked in
low tones and with sober faces. The
train Kept speeding on.
By and by the leading man came in
to their car. Somebody put hand
out, and it was grasped firmly and
quickly.
"It's all right, ys"-joyously,
"but"-sadly-"it will knock us out
for fortnight or more. It's a boy,
anyhow, born en- route, and Pm proud
of it,"
Then and there every man in the
car shook his hand, and wished him
luck. The comedian made small
voiced allusion to q small bottle,
which the treasurer called big bluff.
And, in three hours, Augusta was
made. But there was no star for
them there.
A mothers pale but radiant face
looked out from under the blankets
OF a little bed in a plainly-furnishe !
room in q second-class hotel, and An
infants wee voice penetrated to the
hallway below. THAT troupe's going
to have hard time Of it," said the
night clerk, rs he went off duty. "Star
sick; nobody to take her place; dates
cancelled; no money; not much ward
robe. | think J'il stick to hotel life.
Once / thought I'd take the advance
of a minstrel show; but reckon I'm
lucky"
Sounds like fiction, doesn't it? Yet
it's fact, and it happened only ten
days ago. An actor just in from the
road told it to Interpreter yesterday,
and he verified it with the names OF
the company and of the star.